The reform is aimed at making land registration more transparent, efficient, citizen-friendly and corruption-free through end-to-end digital processing.
Under the proposed system, buyers and sellers will no longer have to physically visit the registration office to submit applications or supporting documents. Once they mutually agree on a property transaction, the entire application process will be completed online through a dedicated digital platform in advance.
Applicants will only be required to appear before the registering authority at the final stage of execution of the sale deed for identity verification, biometric authentication and other statutory formalities mandated under the Registration Act.
Suresh Pujari, revenue and disaster management minister, said the new system would make property registration transparent, hassle-free and corruption-free by minimising physical interaction and eliminating cash transactions. Citizens would be able to complete most of the process digitally without unnecessary visits to government offices, he said.
"The department is in the final stage of developing the online system and will notify a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOP) at the earliest so that the reformed registration system can be implemented smoothly across all registration offices in the state," Pujari said.
The reforms, officials said, will complement Odisha's ongoing initiatives in digital land governance, including online land records through Bhulekh, digitised registration services and electronic delivery of encumbrance certificates.
Integrating these digital platforms with the new registration system would create a seamless ecosystem for property transactions while enhancing transparency, accountability and ease of access for citizens.
The initiative places Odisha among a few states leveraging digital technology to overhaul property registration services. Haryana was the first state to introduce a fully cashless land registration system by mandating digital payment of all registration-related charges and integrating online document processing with e-registration services.
Although other states, such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, have substantially digitised land registration through platforms offering online appointment booking, electronic payment of stamp duty and registration fees, digital document uploads and integration with land records, most still require applicants to visit sub-registrar offices at multiple stages of the registration process.
"Odisha's proposed model goes a step further by making the application process entirely online, abolishing cash payments altogether and limiting physical presence largely to the statutory requirement of identity verification and execution of the deed," said a revenue official.
In another significant reform, the government is also considering a proposal to delink document verification from the jurisdiction of a particular registration office. Under the proposed mechanism, registration documents could be digitally scrutinised by any registration office in Odisha instead of being confined to the office where the property is proposed to be registered.
The reform assumes significance as land registration remains one of the most citizen-facing government services and has historically been vulnerable to delays, excessive paperwork and allegations of corruption.
The state government has also decided to regulate document preparation by making it mandatory for only registered deed writers or advocates to be authorised to prepare and submit registration documents. Their registration details will have to be furnished while filing the online application. Advocates, deed writers and stamp vendors associated with the registration process will have to register with the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
Meanwhile, Odisha has witnessed a sharp increase in revenue from property transactions. Stamp duty and registration fee collections rose by more than 31 per cent to ₹2,610 crore in 2025-26 from ₹1,987 crore in 2024-25. Land revenue collections also increased nearly 25 per cent during the same period, climbing from ₹785 crore to ₹980 crore.
Officials said a fully digital, cashless registration ecosystem would help protect this growing revenue stream by improving compliance, eliminating leakages, creating a complete digital audit trail for every transaction, and ensuring greater transparency in the collection of stamp duty and registration charges.
 "odisha land registration")